Department for Transport

Low Emission Zones

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government in their guidance to local authorities about the setting up of Low Emission Zones, what emphasis is given to reducing pollution per passenger kilometre so that low emission buses are not unreasonably targeted.

baroness sugg: The Government published a Clear Air Zone Framework in May 2017. This sets out the approach that the Government expects local authorities to take in setting up Clean Air Zones, including the approach to buses. It states that Clean Air Zones should be designed to deliver the cleanest possible fleet, including the encouragement of low and ultra-low emission vehicles. The minimum emission standard for buses set out in the Framework is Euro VI.

Home Office

Passports: Biometrics

baroness falkner of margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 14 November (HL2794), whether they will clarify why information relating to failure rates of biometric passports, and resulting delays, raise national security concerns.

baroness williams of trafford: There are many reasons why passports fail at ePassport Gates, and to provide information relating to the use and performance of biometric passports may give those that want to cause harm to the UK an insight into security measures and cause vulnerability at our borders.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

EURATOM

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to continue to abide by the conditions, obligations, structures and financial commitments of EURATOM membership during any transitional period after the UK leaves the EU.

lord henley: The way in which the UK envisages a transition or implementation period operating was set out in my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister’s Florence speech and will be subject to negotiation with the EU27.

Nuclear Power

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they would be willing to accept the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the EU over civil nuclear co-operation during any transitional period after the UK leaves the EU.

lord henley: The way in which the UK envisages a transition or implementation period operating was set out in my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister’s Florence speech. The priority is to get the right arrangements for our relationship with the EU in the long term and we want to get there in a smooth and orderly way, with minimum disruption. That is why we want swift agreement on an implementation period, based on the existing structure of rules and regulations, so that there is one set of changes for businesses and people. That may mean that we start off with the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) still governing the rules we are part of for that period, but the Government is also clear that if we can bring forward a new dispute resolution mechanism at an earlier stage we will do so. In the recent BEIS Select Committee enquiry into the impact of leaving the EU on the nuclear sector, my department noted that it had been unable to find any ECJ cases on Euratom that involved the UK. I would like to take the opportunity to correct this, as two or three such cases have been identified.

EURATOM

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they would be willing to adhere to any nuclear co-operation agreements between EURATOM and third countries during any transitional period after the UK leaves the EU.

lord henley: The UK benefits from a number of existing nuclear co-operation agreements, some of which are between Euratom and a third country and some of which are bilateral between the UK and a third country. The Government’s priority is to ensure uninterrupted cooperation and trade in the civil nuclear sector, and we will ensure that the appropriate arrangements are in place for this to continue. Negotiations with the EU27 on the operation of any transition or implementation period have not yet commenced and it is not possible at this stage to comment on the scope of these discussions.

EURATOM: USA

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed civil nuclear co-operation between EURATOM and the US with the governments of other EU member states.

lord henley: The UK Government has updated the European Commission on progress of its discussions with third countries about nuclear co-operation agreements, including with the USA, as part of the separation negotiations.

Textiles: Manufacturing Industries

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to make anassessment of the extent to which concerns about unsafe working conditions in the UK textiles industry are preventing the return of garment manufacture from offshore.

lord henley: The Government has made clear its commitment to crack down on worker exploitation across all labour sectors. The Director of Labour Market Enforcement is looking at labour market exploitation across a range of sectors. He is expected to submit his next strategy in the new year.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sexual Offences

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations by the Henry Jackson Society to create international legal taskforces to gather evidence on the use of sexual violence against women as a tactic of (1) terrorists, and (2) traffickers, as set out in its report Trafficking Terror, published in October.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We condemn the use of sexual violence by terrorist organisations and are committed to holding perpetrators to account. UK law enforcement agencies are already assessing with multilateral and bilateral partners the threat posed globally by terrorism and human trafficking. Our Team of Experts is also supporting efforts to gather evidence of sexual violence in conflict. The Henry Jackson Society's report makes a number of valid points and we will be giving them due consideration. As I set out in reply to the question from the noble Baroness Cox on 1 November 2017 the UK Government fully supports UN Security Council Resolution 2331 addressing the links between human trafficking, sexual violence and terrorism. In September, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UK-drafted UNSCR 2379, setting up an investigative team to gather evidence of crimes committed by Daesh, including sexual violence, beginning in Iraq. The team will be led by a Special Adviser with a mandate to promote the need to hold Daesh to account across the globe.

Israel: Palestinians

lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to realise that part of the Balfour Declaration relating to Palestinians that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the Prime Minister has said the UK is proud of the role the UK played in helping to make a Jewish homeland a reality; however, we also understand and respect the sensitivities many have about the Balfour Declaration. Balfour remains unfinished business. That is why we are committed to ensuring that the whole of Balfour is fulfilled, through a two-state solution which provides security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as protecting Jewish communities across the Middle East. Our focus now is on encouraging the parties to take steps which bring them closer to peace, and Ministers are in regular contact with them. We remain absolutely committed to ensure the two state solution of a secure and stable Israel, and a sovereign and sustainable Palestinian State are achieved at the earliest time possible and will continue our efforts at all levels in pursuing this objective.

Israel: Churches

the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the Church Lands Bill which is being considered in the Israeli Knesset.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: At this point we have not made a detailed assessment of the Church Lands Bill which is being considered by the Israeli Knesset. We consider the bill primarily to be a domestic policy issue.

Israel: Churches

the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the Church Lands Bill which is being considered in the Israeli Knesset.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We consider the Church Lands Bill to primarily be a domestic policy issue and as such we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Yemen: Responsibility to Protect

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy that the principle of the Responsibility to Protect, adopted in the 2005 UN World Summit Outcome Document, should be applied to the conflict in Yemen; and if not, why not.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom has been a strong advocate of the Responsibility to Protect ever since the 2005 World Summit and will continue to be so. In relation to Yemen, we continue to call on all sides to the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We are aware of reports of alleged violations of IHL by actors in the conflict and take these very seriously. It is important that credible allegations of violations of IHL are investigated.

Syria: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recapture of Raqqa on 20 October, what plans they have to assist in the stabilisation of that region through inclusive governance and reconstruction.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Syria since military operations began, supporting the displaced with food, healthcare, shelter, water and sanitation and hygiene assistance where possible. The Department for International Development recently announced a further £10 million contribution to this. Following liberation, we will also support essential immediate recovery such as mine clearance, which will help the displaced to return home. Politically, we are engaging with the US and other international partners to ensure that there is ultimately inclusive, democratic and legitimate governance, in line with international aspirations for the whole of Syria. The UK and the EU have made clear we will not provide any support to reconstruction in Syria until a political transition is firmly under way.

Attorney General

Internet: Suicide

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theanswers byLord Agnew of Oulton on 7 November andLord Ashton of Hyde on 6 November (HL Deb, col 1594), what steps they are taking under the Suicide Act 1961 to prosecutethose responsible for internet sitesthat incite, aid or abet the promotion of suicide.

lord keen of elie: The Director of Public Prosecutions has published a ‘Policy for Prosecutors in Respect of Cases of Encouraging or Assisting Suicide’. In this policy, the DPP makes the CPS position clear that, in the context of websites that promote suicide, a suspect may commit the offence of encouraging or assisting suicide, if it is intended that one or more readers of such material will commit or attempt to commit suicide. In considering whether or not to bring charges under section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961, a Crown Prosecutor will apply the Full Code Test as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, giving consideration to both the evidence and the public interest in prosecuting, as they would with any other offence.

Department for International Development

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are making use ofUN Security Council Resolution 2165 to deliver (1) medical and other aid, and (2) necessary reconstruction goods, to the cantons of Jazira and Kobane in north-east Syria; and if not, why not.

lord bates: DFID is delivering medical and other aid to north-east Syria, including Jazira and Kobane, from Damascus and cross border from Iraq. We recently announced a further £10 million to meet the needs of those displaced by conflict in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, many of whom have fled to Kobane and Jazira.The UK will not provide any support for reconstruction in Syria until a comprehensive, genuine and inclusive political transition is firmly underway.

Department for Education

Wheelchairs: Access

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of buildings owned or managed by service-providers, as defined by section 29(1) of the Equality Act 2010, that are not accessible to wheelchair users.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government last made an estimate of the wheelchair accessibility of service providers in 2014 and there are no plans to conduct a further study at present.The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold current data on the number of accessible shops; however, all new building works are required to meet accessibility standards and these apply to all new buildings owned or managed by service providers.

Public Sector: Equality

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of (1) LGBT people, (2) women, and (3) persons of colour, who have been refused service by service-providers contrary to section 29 of the Equality Act 2010, in each year since the introduction of that Act.

lord agnew of oulton: The information in the question is not available in the form requested.The number of people who have contacted the Equality Advisory and Support Service – the free helpline service open to people across England, Scotland and Wales who believe that they may have been the victim of unlawful discrimination – seeking advice about a complaint of possible discrimination in the provision of services or public functions (Part 3 of the Equality Act 2010) are:Sexual orientation64Sex (which includes both men and women)228Race (which includes nationality and national or ethnic origins as well as colour)675These figures are for the period since October 2016 when the current service provider took over the contract for running the EASS. Figures for previous years are not available as the data was not recorded in this format.

Shops: Wheelchairs

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Jolly on 21 November 2014 (Hl Deb, col 664) that, if “a service-provider fails or refuses to make a reasonable adjustment, the disabled person could take their custom elsewhere … [or] bring a case of alleged disability discrimination before the civil courts”, how many cases have been brought in the civil courts concerning shops being inaccessible to wheelchair users; and whether they recommend that wheelchair users should take their business elsewhere as an alternative to bringing a civil claim.

lord agnew of oulton: The county court central case management system does not hold the information requested, which could only be obtained from the paper records of each county court. It is for a person who believes they have been subject to discrimination because of disability (including a failure to provide reasonable adjustments, such as access ramps) to decide whether or not to bring a case to court. Government does not seek to advise individuals about specific courses of action when pursuing a particular claim. If an individual does wish to consider pursuing a claim, there are organisations and groups that are available to help disabled people through this process through either advice or direct support. For example, if someone has a complaint against a specific service provider, they may seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service which provides bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination problems. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has powers to enforce compliance with the Equality Act 2010, including those provisions relating to disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments.

Social Media: Young People

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, independently of any input from the main providers of social media, to educate young people on (1) the potential dangers of social media, and (2) the appropriate and potentially socially beneficial use of social media.

lord agnew of oulton: The new computing curriculum, introduced in September 2014, sets the expectation that children in England are taught how to use technology safely, responsibly and securely. From key stage 1 onwards, children in maintained schools are taught how to keep personal information private, and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies such as social media apps. From key stage 2, this includes how to recognise acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. Additionally from key stage 2, children in maintained schools are taught how to be discerning in evaluating digital content. Central to the aims of the computing curriculum is that pupils become digitally literate and are able to use, express themselves and develop their ideas, through information and communication technology. The curriculum sets the expectation that children understand computer networks, about the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration; and to recognise common uses of information technology beyond school. Furthermore, as provided in the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the Department for Education is progressing work on making Relationships Education for all primary schools, and Relationships and Sex Education for all secondary schools, mandatory through regulations. We have begun a process of engagement with stakeholders to determine the right, age-appropriate content for these subjects. We will consult on draft regulations and guidance next year. The guidance for both subjects will consider safe online relationships.

Higher Education: Private Sector

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to provide quality assurance for students studying degree courses at a private college whose degrees arevalidated by a university.

viscount younger of leckie: Degree awarding bodies are ultimately responsible for the academic standards of any awards granted in their name and the quality of learning opportunities, regardless of where these are delivered or who provides them. In addition, all designated Alternative Providers are currently subject to a rigorous, risk-based approach to quality assurance in line with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which applies across all UK providers of Higher Education (HE). Where an Alternative Provider is delivering validated HE provision, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) will consider how these collaborative working arrangements are effectively managed. A successful Higher Education Review (Alternative Providers) by the QAA is a pre-requisite for designation for student support for Alternative Providers, which are also expected to undergo annual monitoring visits from QAA. In October 2017 the National Audit Office published a report concluding progress has been made in strengthening the oversight of the Alternative Provider sector.

Higher Education: Private Sector

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the last three years the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has (1) raised concerns, and (2) taken action, regarding private colleges and providers of degrees.

viscount younger of leckie: All higher education providers are autonomous and privately run. This includes Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funded higher education institutions and alternative providers, which can be designated for student support purposes by the department. At the same time, some privately run institutions may be subject to obligations imposed on public authorities (e.g. the Freedom of Information Act 2000). As a result of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, the Office for Students will regulate all registered English higher education providers through its regulatory framework, which is currently being consulted on. 69 concerns have been raised about higher education providers through the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Concerns Scheme since 2014-15. 23 have so far led to full investigations which subsequently required action by the provider (see attached table). Since 1 August 2016, concerns about publicly funded higher education providers in England are subject to the Unsatisfactory Quality Scheme managed by HEFCE. Therefore, the figures from 2016-17 onwards only relate to Alternative Providers which continue to be covered by QAA’s Concerns Scheme.



Concerns raised about Higher Education Providers
(Word Document, 13.41 KB)

Higher Education: Private Sector

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have in place to ensure that students from disadvantaged backgrounds who attend private colleges receive the best quality of education and support.

viscount younger of leckie: Following the passage of the Higher Education and Research Act (HERA), the Office for Students (OfS) will be established formally in January 2018. It will provide, for the first time, a single regulator for higher education (HE) providers regardless of how they are funded. The OfS will have powers to assess the quality of, and standards applied to, all English HE provision. Quality will be built into every stage of the new regulatory system, the details of which are currently being consulted on. There will continue to be tough and rigorous tests for providers who want to enter the system and enable students from all backgrounds to receive funding. Under the OfS, all HE providers in receipt of public funding will have to demonstrate their commitment to widening participation. They will be required to have either an access and participation plan approved by the OfS (for those in the “Approved (fee cap)” category of registration wishing to charge higher level tuition fees), or an access and participation statement (for those in the “Approved (fee cap)” category only charging fees at the basic level).

Higher Education: Private Sector

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure the legitimacy and integrity of student enrolment processes at private colleges.

viscount younger of leckie: All higher education providers are autonomous and privately run. This includes Higher Education Funding Council for England funded higher education institutions and alternative providers, which can be designated for student support purposes by the department. At the same time, some privately run institutions may be subject to obligations imposed on public authorities (e.g. the Freedom of Information Act 2000). As a result of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, the Office for Students will regulate all registered English higher education providers through its regulatory framework, which is currently being consulted on. It is for individual higher education providers to determine their own enrolment processes and minimum criteria for entry onto their courses. However, the UK Quality Code for Higher Education sets out the expectations that all providers of UK higher education are required to meet. It sets out the following expectations about recruitment, selection and admission to higher education: “Recruitment, selection, and admission policies and procedures adhere to the principles of fair admission. They are transparent, reliable, valid, inclusive and underpinned by appropriate organisational structures and processes. They support higher education providers in the selection of students who are able to complete their programme.”

Grafton College of Management Sciences

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when Grafton College of Management Sciences in London was last inspected; and whether that inspection raised any issues or concerns.

viscount younger of leckie: Grafton College of Management Sciences’ last Higher Education Review (Alternative Providers) by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) took place from 20 to 23 June 2016. QAA’s report, including issues and concerns raised through the review, is available on the QAA website.

Schools: Admissions

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of state-funded schools that had cohorts that were at leat 20 per cent smaller in the January of year 11 than they had been at the start of year 7, in each of the past five academic years.

lord agnew of oulton: School level data giving the number of pupils by school year has been available as underlying data of the annual statistical release ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics’[1] since 2012. Thus it is possible to provide figures for two cohorts: the cohort which was in year 7 in January 2012 and year 11 in January 2016 (cohort A), and the cohort which was in year 7 in January 2013 and year 11 in January 2017 (cohort B).The comparison was made between matched secondary schools who had pupils in both years (so not, for example, 14-16 schools or middle-deemed schools)[2]. Of these, 28 out of 2,629 schools in cohort A and 45 out of 2,720 schools in cohort B had a total number of pupils in year 11 at least 20 per cent smaller than had been the case in year 7.  [1] Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers, underlying data document, Schools_NCYear_UD dataset. [2] Only schools which could be matched between the two censuses were able to be included. Schools sometimes change their identification codes, for example when converting from an LA-maintained school to an academy, and in these cases the school present in the 1st census could not be identified in the 2nd census and matched. This was the case for 351 pupils in cohort A and 326 schools in cohort B.

Schools: Admissions

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they take to track pupils after they have been "off-rolled" by state-funded schools.

lord agnew of oulton: We have strengthened the law about what information schools must share with their local council when a pupil is taken off the school roll. Local councils have a duty, under section 436A of the Education Act 1996, to make arrangements to identify children of compulsory school age in their area who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise. It is vital that they have robust procedures and policies that enable them to do this, including appointing a named person to whom schools and other agencies can make referrals. The department produced statutory guidance, attached, ‘Children Missing Education’ in September 2016, which sets out the key principles to enable local councils in England to implement this duty.



Children Missing Education
(PDF Document, 349.48 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Serco

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review Serco's involvement, whether or not involving a contract,in the provision of prison, probation and other public services, in the light of reports concerning the content of the Paradise Papers.

lord keen of elie: As a listed company on the London Stock Exchange, Serco must comply with strict financial and governance requirements. Cabinet Office has also issued a Supplier Code of Conduct for Government suppliers which is attached. This matter relates to a sale of Serco’s business abroad and does not have any bearing on its performance in UK public sector or suitability to carry out public contracts. Should any discrepancies or concerns arise the department will take the appropriate action. We have robust processes in place to closely monitor performance and compliance of our contracts and will not hesitate to take action when standards fall short.



Attachment
(PDF Document, 379.36 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Poverty

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in thelight of the Institute for Fiscal Studies report, Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK: 2017–18 to 2021–22, what steps they will take to prevent the projected increase in the level of absolute child poverty.

baroness buscombe: Employment is key to helping people out of poverty and our welfare and tax reforms are designed to support people into employment. Employment is at historically high levels and the number of children living in a household where no one is working is 608,000 lower than it was in 2010. This Government is committed to action that will make a meaningful difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged children and families. Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families, published on 4 April, set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s outcomes, now and in the future. A copy of this report is attached.



Improving Lives - Helping Workless Families
(PDF Document, 808.37 KB)

Jobcentres: Food Banks

the lord bishop of oxford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for Work and Pensions offers any guidance to Jobcentres on whether, and in what circumstances, it is appropriate to signpost or refer their clients to local food banks.

baroness buscombe: The Department for Work and Pensions does not refer claimants to food banks, but provides operational instructions to Jobcentre colleagues detailing when it is appropriate to signpost claimants to food banks.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Glyphosate

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review regulations concerning the use of glyphosate products as weed killers, in the light of evidence presented to the United States Federal Court relating to its safety.

lord gardiner of kimble: Pesticides are highly regulated in the UK and can only be used if scientific assessment establishes that they pose no unacceptable risks to people or the environment. UK specialists participated in the European Food Safety Authority’s assessment of glyphosate and support its conclusions that glyphosate meets the safety requirements for approval. The Government therefore supports the continuing approval of glyphosate. If glyphosate is approved, we will review the authorisations of glyphosate products to ensure they meet current standards.

Plastic Bags

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of theeffectiveness ofpolicies designed to reducethe use of plastic bags by retailers and consumers; and what further policies they envisage in that area.

lord gardiner of kimble: Since the introduction of the 5 pence carrier bag charge in October 2015, retailer reporting shows a dramatic drop in the consumption of single use plastic carrier bags, with the seven major retailers distributing around nine billion fewer single use plastic bags (a reduction of around 83%) compared to typical pre-charge levels. The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of this order before 5 October 2020.

Glyphosate

lord willoughby de broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether glyphosate will continue to be permitted for agricultural and horticultural use after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

lord gardiner of kimble: UK and EU experts have identified no safety concerns which would preclude the continuing use of glyphosate and so the Government supports its continued approval by the EU. An EU decision will be binding on the UK while we are still within the EU. Leaving the EU means we will have the opportunity to consider carefully how future policies can best be tailored to the needs of the UK. Decision-making on the use of pesticides after the UK leaves the EU will be based on careful scientific assessment of the risks. Our highest priority will continue to be the protection of people and the environment.

Food: Waste

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce levels of household food waste.

lord gardiner of kimble: Through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Government is working with food businesses and other stakeholders under the Courtauld Commitment 2025 to develop on-pack, in-store and online information to tackle the most wasted food and drink products, agree industry-wide best practice and engage their customers on waste prevention. WRAP also provides advice directly to consumers through the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. The campaign works with retailers and brands, local councils, businesses, and community groups to provide resources such as well researched motivational messages, food storage advice and recipes that help consumers to make best use of the food they buy.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Right to Buy Scheme

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they estimate has been realised since 2010 through the sale of council housing under right to buy; and what was the total of the discounts accorded to purchasers exercising that right.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Nearly £4.8 billion has been generated from Right to Buy sales receipts since 2010. Table 692, details quarterly Right to Buy receipts received by Local Authorities since 2012.(https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales)Prior to 2012 figures on receipts are available in Table 682 - Social Housing Sales: Annual Financial Data on Right to Buy sales for England.(https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales)Table 682 also contains the average discounts that tenants received when purchasing their home under the Right to Buy.



Table 692 quarterly Right to Buy since 2012
(Excel SpreadSheet, 145.19 KB)




Table 682 Social Housing Sales
(Excel SpreadSheet, 63.82 KB)

Affordable Housing: Construction

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and what proportion, of affordable homes granted planning permission in each of the last five years have not yet received a completion certificate (1) in the private sector, and (2) in the public sector.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The department does not hold any data monitoring the completion of individual units granted permission on affordable housing.

HM Treasury

Occupational Pensions: Tax Allowances

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to ensure that workers earning below £11,500 a year who are automatically enrolled into Net Pay Schemes are able to obtain the tax relief they are due; if so, how; and if not, whether they intend to introduce alternative measures to ensure that either (1) the employer, or (2) the pension provider, compensates such low earners for the money they lose out on.

lord bates: The Government recognises the different impacts on workers earning below the personal allowance. However, it has not been possible to identify any straightforward or proportionate means to align the effects of the net pay and relief at source mechanisms more closely for this population. Workplace pension schemes are chosen by employers and the Pensions Regulator provides guidance on this in relation to automatic enrolment. The guidance covers the choice between net pay and relief at source schemes, and the implications of net pay schemes for employees who do not pay tax. It also says that some schemes that use the net pay arrangement may have lower charges than schemes that operate relief at source.

Cryptocurrencies

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto examine (1) the regulatory framework for digital currencies, and (2) the policies of the UK banking sector towards the providers of digital currencies and their employees.

lord bates: The Government keeps all policy under review. The Government is currently negotiating amendments to the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive that we expect to bring virtual currency exchange platforms and custodian wallet providers into the scope of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing regulation. This will require such firms to conduct due diligence upon their customers, with their activities being overseen by national competent authorities for these areas. The government supports the intention behind these amendments. We expect these negotiations to conclude at EU level in late 2017/early 2018. The stance of individual firms towards providers of digital currencies is a commercial decision for those firms, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene. Last month, the Financial Conduct Authority issued a consumer warning about the risks of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). It advised consumers to be conscious of the risks involved (including the possible lack of regulation and investor protection, price volatility and potential for fraud) and to fully research the project before investing. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also noted that whether an ICO falls within the FCA’s regulatory boundaries or not can only be decided case by case.

Cryptocurrencies

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto make running a virtual digital currency exchange a supervised business.

lord bates: The Government is currently negotiating amendments to the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive that we expect to bring virtual currency exchange platforms and custodian wallet providers into the scope of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing regulation. This will require such firms to conduct due diligence upon their customers, with their activities being overseen by national competent authorities for these areas. The government supports the intention behind these amendments. We expect these negotiations to conclude at EU level in late 2017/early 2018.

Department of Health

Internet: Suicide

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answers byLord Agnew of Oulton on 7 November andLord Ashton of Hyde on 6 November (HL Deb, col 1594), what assessment they have made of the presence of sites that promote suicide on the internet, in the light of research published by the University of Manchester in May 2016 which found that 22 per centof suicide victims had been bullied and 27 per centof victims had been experiencing academic pressures at school, college or university.

lord o'shaughnessy: We are aware of the positive and negative impacts that the internet can have on mental wellbeing and the potential harmful effect of websites with content that promotes suicide. We expect online providers to take action where harmful content is identified or online abuse is reported and breaches their policies. The recently enacted Digital Economy Act will help to ensure that online abuse is effectively tackled by requiring a code of practice to be established, which will set out guidance for social media providers on what they should do in relation to harmful or inappropriate conduct on their platforms. We also support organisations such as the Samaritans, which works with online providers to improve the way that online users can report harmful content and encourages providers to take action. The Government provided £1.5 million to fund research through the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and this included research into the use of the internet by people with experience of suicide. It showed that people with experience of suicide have used the internet to find information and support online as well as searching suicidal content and that we should seek to harness the positive effects of the internet and support vulnerable people online. The Government is consulting on the National Internet Safety Strategy until 7 December, which seeks to improve safety online for everyone. We welcome the study by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness on Suicide by Children and Young People in England (May 2016) and we considered its findings when updating the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy this year.

Suicide: Internet

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answers byLord Agnew of Oulton on 7 November andLord Ashton of Hyde on 6 November (HL Deb, col 1594), what assessment they have made of a study published in the British Medical Journal in April 2008 which found that websites providing information about suicide were more likely to be encouraging the act of suicide than offering support to potential victims.

lord o'shaughnessy: We have made no formal assessment of the 2008 British Medical Journal study. We are aware of the positive and negative impacts that the internet can have on mental wellbeing and the potential harmful effect of websites with content that promotes suicide. We provided £1.5 million of funding through the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy for further research on suicide prevention. This included research undertaken by Lucy Biddle for Bristol University, who was involved in the study referenced in 2008. This further research was published last year and showed that people with experience of suicide have used the internet to find information and support online as well as searching suicidal content and that we should seek to harness the positive effects of the internet and support vulnerable people online. A summary of this research, Priorities for suicide prevention: balancing the risks and opportunities of internet use, is attached. We also support organisations such as the Samaritans, which works with online providers to improve the way that online users can report harmful content and encourages providers to take action. The Government is committed to making the United Kingdom the safest place online and until 7 December is consulting on the National Internet Safety Strategy, which seeks to improve safety online for everyone.



Suicide prevention
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